Why have tai-tais become such a popular stereotype?
I guess they’re an easy target. You see more and more big designer stores popping up and read about super pricey properties being snapped up, and you quickly imagine they must all be filled with all these ladies with expensive habits.
How important is money to you?
Not as important as it was 20 years ago. I’m consciously trying to downsize and simplify my life, as well as learning to live with less. Corny as it sounds, it’s really more about spending quality time with people than about acquiring more things.
What do you think about the way Singapore is shaping up?
On the surface, it’s pretty much your typical metropolis with all the bright and shiny futuristic buildings that would look great in Monocle. But its inhabitants are likely to have mixed feelings; everything comes with a cost. For every painfully hip hotspot that opens in Little India or Tiong Bahru, another uniquely Singaporean institution closes. So you either applaud the coming-of-age or lament the passing. Not everyone will see things the same way.
What do you know now you wish you knew in your Army Daze days?
That I should’ve served NS later, when things weren’t as tough. Really, though—I did my NS in the ‘70s, and even though it was an arduous experience, I don’t think I’d want to change anything. I was wide-eyed, nervous and geeky, and probably needed the toughening up.
What would you do for the arts in Singapore if you had the power to do just about anything?
Start by building two to three more mid-sized theatres with seating capacity of about 200, 300 or 500. Considering how active the arts scene is now, I think there is a lack of proper venues. And I would give all theater groups “media credits” every year, which they can use to advertise in the dailies and on TV, because arts groups can’t afford the kind of rates that TV and newspapers command.
You share a name with a famous Taiwanese billionaire. What would your Forbes description sound like?
“Ridiculously soft-spoken Singaporean media personality, best-known for peddling gossip rags and low-brow comedies.”
High Class is on July 5-14 while Army Daze is on July 19-28, 3pm, 5pm, 8pm at the Drama Centre Theatre.
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Ardent Capital (ardentcap.com) bills itself as “a leading digital venture builder, incubator and investor in Southeast Asia.” It has its offices here in Bangkok, from where it nurtures more than half a dozen tech companies, most of them involved in online commerce—“selling real stuff,” as Dr. Adrian Vanzyl, Ardent’s CEO, puts it. The company is all about bringing together experienced entrepreneurs with local talent to help successfully launch their startups. Dr. Vanzyl co-founded the company with three Americans and two Brits. Here, he explains the challenges and rewards of building tech startups in Thailand.
There seems to be a kind of tech boom in Bangkok of late. What’s driving it?
There definitely is. We have 70 open positions right now. It’s been driven by the rise of consumer spending in the middle class. Then there’s internet penetration, which has improved, and in the last 18 months, smartphones have overtaken regular mobile phones. 3G has been important, too, as well as people getting comfortable with using credit cards online.
There’s always been talk of Bangkok being made into an IT hub. And people used to just laugh.
It is a great place. Bangkok is a much more interesting city to launch a digital e-commerce business than, say, Singapore. For example, we’ve got a new startup, Petloft.com, selling products for pets. Well if you launch this company in Singapore, you’ve proven you can start a company in a city with great internet penetration, highly-trained programmers, where everyone speaks English and where the postal system works. Anyone can do that. So if a competing brand from the USA shows up, they won’t buy your company, they’ll just start their own. Now if you start this company in Thailand, you’ll show you can work in another language, that you can set up your own distribution network—we have warehouses, motorcycle delivery guys—and work with local staff. If that foreign company shows up, do you think they’ll buy your company or start their own? They’ll much rather buy yours. And then, if you’ve been successful here, it means you can go on and do it all over again in Vietnam and Indonesia when the time is right.
But aren’t our programmers, well, not very good?
The big challenge is definitely finding talent. But the raw intellect is there. All you need to do is train them up. That’s why we try to mentor people, to participate in events, to go to talks. We want to act as role models and boot strap an eco-system. Once you’ve trained people, they can go and train people, too. Also, Thailand is a great place to do business in the region. There’s a lot less red tape to register a company than anywhere else, you don’t have to pay anyone off, foreign ownership is allowed, you can get an office easily, the traffic is not as bad as some other places...
Still, there must be challenges?
Well, English language is a huge problem. You need to be able to articulate your vision in English. And then it’s difficult to create a culture of risk taking. Most startups fail, after all. But there is a strong work ethic with the staff here, and a greater gender parity. Our staff is 50/50 men and women. You just wouldn’t see that in a typical tech startup in the US.
Venture capitalists fund new businesses, most often those focusing on innovation and new technology. The VC Group is one such company, keen on investing in embedded devices, cloud infrastructures, and software as a service. We speak to Chairman Dr. Jay Jootar on the growth of venture capital firms in the city, Thai IT talent and how Thailand is becoming the new Silicon Valley.
Is there talent in the Thai IT crowd?
We definitely have many capable world-class tech talents. I’ve found many brilliant new graduates as well as experienced engineers that work for world-class companies. What we need are more tech entrepreneurs who turn technology into business. But it takes time and patience to groom someone to become a tech entrepreneur—you need to master many diverse skills besides technological know-how.
Can we compete against neighboring countries like Singapore?
I don’t see Singapore as a competitor at all. On the other hand, there is a natural symbiotic relationship between Thailand and Singapore. Thailand is a good place to live and work, having so many things to enjoy: food, beach, people and nightlife. Meanwhile, Singapore is a good place to do business because of its excellent legal and business infrastructure. I see many people having operations in both countries to take advantage of the best of both worlds.
What type of company is most worth investing in?
Investment is like wine. People have different tastes. For me, I am passionate about solutions that help businesses function better. Therefore, I focus on embedded devices that will replace PCs in the future, as well as cloud infrastructure and enterprise software. Other people might have a passion for e-commerce, or education solutions, or payment systems. There are profits to be made in every field. The starting point for anyone interested in tech startups, be it investor or entrepreneur, should be the passion, what you try to build for the world. Making money is a constraint to be met, a means to an end, not the end in itself.
What lies ahead for venture capital in Thailand?
I believe the pioneers in Thailand venture capital are likely to be corporate, not financial institutions. We see that each of the big three telcos [True, AIS and Dtac] has its own startup investment initiatives. I also learn of companies in other industries like book publishing, construction materials, petroleum and chemicals who also invest in tech startups, albeit in a more low-profile fashion. In a way, this is no different from Silicon Valley, which was kicked off by the investment of a camera company in a semiconductor company, the predecessor of Intel Corporation, one of the Valley’s enduring success cases. I believe we will see similar stories here in Thailand as well.
The ideal “coworking space” is a well-designed office where, for a fee, anyone can get a desk, a meeting room, and work alongside other creative, technology-driven people. We spoke to Amarit Charoenphan, co-founder of Hubba Coworking Space, an elegant compound with a garden where he is kickstarting the trend in Bangkok.
Are coworking spaces the new office?
Coworking spaces will not only be the new office. It’s the new way of life for Gen Y onwards. With talent, internet and Wi-Fi, we can work anywhere in the world, make a decent amount of money and enjoy the company of like-minded people. People have seen images of the Google and Facebook offices online and are no longer willing to be treated as robots living in tiny cubicles with smelly AC, waiting in lines for the elevator, traffic in the parking lot and on the expressway and crappy office furniture. We want to go to work inspired, motivated and happy. A democratic, vibrant coworking space culture will unleash the latent creative energies of Thais and usher a new movement where people can work, be location-independent and be happy. It will change how companies treat and retain employees, encouraging more of a talent economy. People will be more motivated to do their work and more ideas will come flooding. Lastly, it will usher an entrepreneurial revolution in Thailand, where more people will be brave enough to be a freelancer or launch a start-up.
Is it good business?
It is profitable but it takes time. It takes a bit of investment setting up and slowly members will come in, try the space out and, if it clicks with them, stay for a while. Globally, most spaces break even within six months to two years.
How efficient is it?
Work gets done, big time! The co-motivation effect of seeing awesome people wholly focused at work drives you to work very hard. People here are actually very hard working, they only hangout when there’s an event or when taking a break. This is because the best, most motivated and hard-working people are here. They may have traveled quite a bit and have paid money to work here. Nobody would be here if it didn’t help them be more productive, profitable, and ultimately more successful than working at home or in some coffee shop.
Does Bangkok need more coworking spaces?
We don’t need just coworking spaces, we need a movement towards a more collaborative economy and an entrepreneurial revolution. Coworking spaces are essentially just the container, the focal point, where communities are formed and nurtured, where events, workshops and courses are held to help people build networks, teams and upskill themselves alongside a massive pool of awesome people who may become cofounders, partners, investors, clients, and mentors. In Singapore, there are now 20+ coworking spaces. In London alone, there are more than 80 spaces. Bangkok is equally as big and people are equally as entrepreneurial and hungry.
What can we expect from Hubba this year?
We’re planning to build five spaces in total through partnerships. We are relentlessly pursuing our mission to be Thailand’s start-up ecosystem builder: to build the biggest coworking space network in Thailand, the biggest start-up education institution in Thailand and help create the next regional or global Thai startup.
19 Soi Ekkamai 4, 02-714-3388. Passes are B265 for one day, B4,650 for 30 days, B36,500 for a year. Open daily 9am-10pm.
One of the city’s newest coworking spaces, Launchpad, offers more than just the chance to work out of home. According to co-founder, Vincent Sethiwan, it’s all about connections, too. Here, he discusses how the right community can change the way you work and even relieve stress.
Are coworking spaces catching on with Thais?
Yes, we get an equal mix of Thais and international members. I think this is because of how we portray ourselves to be an international space; a well-mixed community that is passionate about what they are working on.
What do people like about Launchpad?
They like the ambience and the community. Our space is very open and you can work in any way you want. This freedom allows people to be more creative and focused on what they are working on.
Is it a profitable business?
Not yet. However the space offers my team a really nice place to work alongside a really great crowd of people with similar mindsets who are all willing to help each other out. This is something that money cannot buy.
Does it actually boost productivity?
Yes, it does work very well indeed. Work gets done, more ideas get validated, there are more job referrals and, most importantly, it’s more fun. It is efficient as well as effective in building connections with people.
Who is suited to this kind of space?
It’s up to you whether you like it or not. For me, I really like it because it is a perfect blend between privacy and open communication. And as a startup, it really helps take away a lot of the stress and build confidence.
1/F, Sethiwan Tower, Sathorn Rd., 02-266-6222. B220 per day, B6,000 per month.
Started off as a hobby between nine friends, Catmint, a women-focused lifestyle website has been steadily gaining popularity for its edgy content and spot-on reviews. Here, we talk to co-founder Chayapa Boonmana on running an online platform and how content engagement can take you to the top.
Can content generate revenue?
We don’t sell any products so we make money from banner ads. The trick is to explore topics that other websites haven’t really gone into depth about, or find ways to make a typical article fun by using aids like videos. We’ve done an article about finding a hotel in Hong Kong on a B1,000 budget—if you search, you’ll find that we’re the number one result for that on Google. Such article ideas, along with our big blog following, brings lots of traffic to our site, which is why lots of brands choose to advertise with us. Brands now want websites with original content.
How do you stand out?
The originality of our content as well as our style—we don’t use big words and we’re not too dry. We also give our readers videos and tutorials with a touch of humor.
What’s your editorial line?
We ask ourselves whether it’s something we would be interested in using or buying; it has to be relatable to us. All of us here specialize in different areas: beauty, real estate, fashion, etc. We post about 2-3 new stories every day and, because we don’t sell products, this content is everything.
What’s trending right now?
For now it’s a diet trend from the US called the Dukan Diet. I can say that we’re the only Thai website to have covered this diet in depth.
How could our blogging scene improve?
Abroad, lots of people support bloggers and websites that do fashion and lifestyle tips. Here in Thailand, though, people are more focused on the actual products.
Launched in 2012, Symbols of Style (SOS, www.symbolsofstyle.com) has become a familiar name for Thailand’s savvy shoppers, fusing meticulous fashion insights with an online shop that continues to introduce bold labels to urbanites. Here we speak to Natcharee Srirojchanapong, managing director of SOS, about people’s trust in online retail, how service is key and why brand selection can’t be compromised.
How do you choose which brands to sell on SOS?
First, it comes down to the style and design of the product; it has to be bold, chic and edgy. Second is the quality and third is the brand’s ability to produce the product in big enough quantities that they won’t run out.
What do people like most about your website?
People love our fashion shoots and fashion stories. As for products, IT gadgets and imported fashion products priced from B1,000-4,000 are quite a hit. We’re also launching a home décor section, too, with products like lamps, work tables and other things that aren’t too hard to ship here. It should be interesting.
Are people still scared of shopping online in Thailand?
Some are OK, while others still have many doubts. I think the important thing is that we need to educate people. The launch of more online shopping platforms will increase trust, but many people are still shaky when it comes to using their credit card without having the items in their hand. At SOS, we offer credit card payment as well as bank transfer, counter service and cash-on-delivery.
What’s the most vital thing behind the success of SOS?
Service is key since people can’t see our products in person. We don’t know exactly what they’re looking for; some people have bought the wrong product and try to return it after already using it. Some clients understand but some don’t. Dealing with local brands is also very important to us. We sell lots of local brands but the problem is some don’t have the production power of international brands, so their products run out. Some brands don’t inform us when this happens, which creates a problem with our listings.
What can we expect from SOS next?
We’re launching an application for the Android as well as new sections on the website like dining, décor and travel packages. We’re also doing a pop-up store at K-Village until the end of June with free prizes and gift vouchers.
What: Monthly internet and mobile networking training group focusing on technology, startups, web and mobile business opportunities.
Sign up: www.meetup.com/WebMobThailand
What: With six events so far (the last one on May 25th), this is another meetup to watch, if and when they schedule the next one.
Sign up: momobkk.com
What: A monthly meeting aimed at helping members launch, invest in and connect to different tech communities with a focus on tech startups and recruitment support.
Sign up: www.meetup.com/Bangkok-TechMeetups
What: Another networking group of entrepreneurs, investors and developers in startups that get together monthly to share ideas and connect.
Sign up: www.meetup.com/bkk-startup
Next meeting Jul 23, 9am at True Café Digital Gateway (Siam Square, Rama 1 Rd., BTS Siam).
What: Held at least four times a year, the event is intended to give young designers and entrepreneurs a platform to present their ideas in marketing, IT and design in the format of 20 slides of 20 seconds each.
Sign up: [email protected]
Next meeting Aug 21, 6:30pm at LaunchPad (Sethiwan Tower, Pan Rd., 02-266-6222. BTS Surasak).
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Studying things you hate is a real torment. I ended up having to study business management at ABAC for two years as I couldn’t get into the major I wanted at Chulalongkorn or Thammasat. It’s the most down I’ve been in my life.
Studying at university is the last chance to enjoy your education. That’s why I quit from ABAC and went to study motion pictures at Chulalongkorn as I loved taking photos.
Take failure as the momentum to prove yourself. My first movie, Dek Hor (2006), was badly criticized by people at GTH (movie studio). I went and cried alone in the toilet because it was my first failure in a solo project. But I gathered my strength and told them I wanted to fix it before it was released. It finally got the green light and made B50 million at the box office.
I get bored easily. After making three movies in a row, I got fed up. So I tried to do something else to open up my world, which is why I became chairman of the Thai Film Director Association (TFDA) and directed a lakorn [TV soap] as well as being an acting coach for Academy Fantasia.
I was afraid of losing the instincts of being a moviemaker. I was invited to direct a lakorn called Coffee Prince so I decided to give it a try. But in the end, I realized that I couldn’t work at the fast pace needed to make lakorn.
My world was very narrow before I became chairman of the TFDA. I had been making movies for years but I had never had the chance to meet all these great Thai directors. I was like “What the hell was I doing before?”
Thai moviemakers have huge egos. I’ve learned this as chairman. We are as close as brothers socially but when it comes to work, we have totally different ideas. It prevents us from pushing forward together on big issues like censorship.
Directors and censorship officials live in totally different worlds. It’s like we speak a different language. I was totally shocked when I heard a member of the censorship board (a motion picture teacher at Chulalongkorn) say to Thanwarin, the director of Insects in the Backyard, that she just directed the movie because she wanted to see a naked guy. That’s so low!
There are tons of directors, but not all of them are cool. I found many love being a director just because they love to dominate other people. I think cool people are the ones who have a real passion for their profession, no matter what it is.
True happiness is transforming pictures in your mind into a movie and then finding that the audience feel the same way you do.
I love trial and error. I tried most bad things as a child. I smoked since I was in elementary school, got caught trying to read a porn magazine and played hooky a lot.
I tried ecstasy once because I was curious. I wanted to know what it was going to be like. It made my brain catch every single feeling and I felt surrounded with happiness. I realized how valuable the moment was for me so I grabbed a pen and paper and wrote down everything I felt. The next day was totally painful. I felt really depressed and didn’t want to do anything, not even talk to anyone.
I’m lucky I tried drugs when I was grown up, as I realized what I could lose if there were bad consequences. I could have been thrown out of the movie industry just for taking drugs once. I can’t lose the work that I love most.
To fix a problem, you must accept it first. When I started doing Hormones, I just wanted to portray the reality of teenagers’ lives. But when we did our research, we found that this reality relates to jealousy, sex and drugs. The thing that shocked me most was the fact that girls are the ones who ask guys to have sex with them and that they do it at home with their parents in the house.
Watching girls fight because of men makes me feel down. I can understand why they do drugs and have sex but I don’t get why they have to fight over guys.
Love can fix any problem. I feel those kids who make trouble are hungry for love. If they get the full love of their family then they won’t act out like that, for sure.
I want to have children but not a partner. I know that I will love my kids with all my heart but I’m not sure how long I would love my partner. It would be a disaster if we got a divorce.
I want to have a daughter, even though my heart knows that having a daughter these days is a real headache. I think my daughter can survive all the obstacles on the path to becoming a lady.
No answer about life is 100% correct so I don’t try to put any clear answers in my work. Like Hormones, I just want to unveil the truth and educate adults that this is what our teenagers are like.
People love to listen to those who don’t judge them. I uphold this principle with everyone I know.
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How did you get your start in the Lao entertainment business?
Alee: My friends and I, who are all dancers, created a girl group called Shawty about two years ago. We really loved dancing and wanted to become singers. We decided to create our own music to try and get signed to a record label. I am one of the lead singers of the group.
Gig: I won a beauty pageant at my university, RBAC, in 2007 before participating in the Miss Laos pageant, in 2009, which I won. I’ve worked in the entertainment industry ever since.
What’s the entertainment industry like over there?
Gig: Honestly it’s pretty small. Most of our work is as MCs or singers, there aren’t many jobs for actors and actresses. We do have some sit-coms now but there are only a few. We have so many restrictions. Like at the beauty pageants, we can only wear sinh (traditional sarongs), swimsuits are totally prohibited here. Our freedom of speech is so limited.
Alee: We can’t speak freely on any issue. You can’t talk about politics or swear and you have to dress in a certain way. So it’s pretty hard to do interesting movies or TV programs. We only have 4-5 TV channels which air mostly traditional cultural programs or travel programs. So our people prefer to watch Thai TV instead.
So how did this movie come about?
Gig: I normally work as a host for TV programs in Laos so I got to know Jia Pacific (Poomchana Siriwongsa), the famous comedian, who was really behind producing the film. We haven’t had a Lao movie to show in cinemas for decades. He asked me to cast for the role and I said yes. He later asked Alee to cast and she got the role, too. Now he’s doing a second movie.
What does “Huk Aum Lum” mean?
Alee: Mellow Love.
Have you ever worked in Thailand?
Alee: Nearly. My band was hired to play in Udon Thani last year but one of the group got sick so we had to cancel the show.
Gig: My parents do a lot of business in Thailand so I have to travel there a lot.
How do you feel about the way that Thais use the word “Lao” as an insult?
Alee: It’s pretty mean. But I do try to understand that some Thais really don’t mean to insult us. They’re just accustomed to using it. But really, I want Thais to stop doing it. It’s our nationality. It’s not a insult.
Gig: I understand the situation. But I always question why. What’s wrong with being born Laotian? I have patriotic feelings. I want to protect my country. So I would invite Thais to come to our country and get to know us better.
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How did you come up with the idea for Heritage Heroes series?
South Africa is commonly known as the Old World of the New World, on the wine map. As a South African producer, we have more than 200 years of history and Heritage Heroes was borne out of an interest in honouring our winemasters.
What food would you pair with each of the four wines in the series?
With the Motorcycle Marvel, our Rhône-style blend, its spicy peppery berry flavors make it an outstanding wine with roasts, barbecued steaks, spicy chicken and intensely-flavored pasta dishes.
The Anchorman chenin blanc is reminiscent of ripe fruits, especially apricots and oranges, with floral hints and traces of raisin and spice, and hence, it is great with fish, poultry, veal, pasta and salads.
The Young Airhawk sauvignon blanc, with its layers of green figs, asparagus and minerality, makes it an excellent choice with seafood, chicken and pasta dishes, and vegetables.
The Brewmaster Bordeaux-style blend’s rich dark fruit and tobacco aromas make it an excellent pairing with red meat, casseroles and stews, leg of lamb, roast beef, duck, robust chicken and pasta dishes, hearty soups and mature cheeses.
What’s special about the South African wine scene?
South African wines are different from wines from elsewhere due to the country’s unique climate and soil conditions. Despite being at the same latitude as Australia and Chile, the varying altitudes and directions that vineyards face—whether it’s the Indian Ocean or Atlantic Ocean—contribute to the different styles. With a long history of winemaking since the mid 1500s, there have been many influences from Old World winemakers who have travelled and influenced some of the winemaking in South Africa.
How well recognized are South African wines in Singapore?
South African wines are becoming increasingly popular and recognized in Singapore. For a mature wine market like Singapore, wine drinkers are very well-exposed to a variety of styles of wines from different countries. They are able to appreciate a good wine when they taste one—besides going for the obvious and expensive, wine drinkers here are also sophisticated enough to suss out interesting boutique finds.
Nederburg Wine’s Heritage Heroes range is available at DFS Changi Airport Arrivals Hall, across all terminals.
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What is chiropractic?
It is a health profession focusing on the recovery of dysfunction in joints, spine and muscles. It is different from orthopedic because chiropractic tries not to focus on the use of medicine or surgery, but rather on biomechanical recovery and body manipulation.
Is it a painful procedure?
It isn’t as painful as most people think. Physical therapists use chiropractic a lot because there isn’t much risk; on the contrary it is very efficient. Procedures usually involve manual maneuvers like massages to adjust dysfunctional parts of the body and to rehabilitate muscles.
Which demographic is most likely to see a chiropractor?
Our patients are mostly in the 35 to 65 age group as the symptoms of these problems can take years to develop. Due to their working lifestyle, most people have problems with their back, spine and joints but tend to overlook them until it reaches a point where surgery is needed. 70% of our patients suffer from problems with their intervertebral discs due to their bad posture.
Why not use medicine or surgery?
We’re not against medicine or surgery but will only use it when nothing else works because we believe in biomechanical treatments including body alignment, body stability, joint status and its effect on the nervous system. Recovery from within is the best solution. Here, we mix chiropractic with orthopedic, rehabilitation and sports medicine.
How long does it usually take for a patient to be completely recovered?
It depends on each case, but usually from a couple of weeks up to half a year.
How can we prevent these types of dysfunctions?
People unconsciously do the wrong thing for their body, like sitting with bad posture, overloading their spine through exercise. The easiest way is to be mindful of your posture, do exercises that increase your flexibility and don’t wait it out if you can feel pain—80% of back problems comes from leaving treatment late.
Chiro Health Bangkok, 2/F The 9th Tower (behind Central Grand Rama 9), Rama 9 Rd., 02-643-2104. MRT Rama 9.
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History: Part of the Deschutes family of beers, who have been brewing out of Bend, Oregon (the heartland of craft beers), since 1988. From brewing a few hundred barrels in their pub overlooking the Deschutes River, they are now one of the largest craft brewers in America and have won multiple awards for their range of beers. First manufactured in 2012, Chainbreaker is actually named after an off-road bike race in Oregon. The beer itself is unusual in that it is a hybrid; brewed with both wheat and pilsner malt, plus orange and coriander, the end result is a distinctive blend of traditional Belgian-style wheat beer and Indian Pale Ale.
Appearance: It pours a very pale, straw-like yellow and has a strong frothy head that hangs on the side of the glass. Cloudy in appearance, it reminded some of our testers of a traditional homemade lemonade, though for others it conjured up reminders of bladder infections.
Smell: Your first sniff sees you assailed by lots of citrusy notes, but there’s also a milder undercurrent of warm spices like cinnamon and clove blended with a mild wheat-y aroma.
Mouthfeel: Initially very effervescent but it’s quickly replaced by an almost soapy feel that fades to leave a slightly dry aftertaste.
Taste: It pretty much tastes like it smells, so lots of strong citrus notes upfront, which gradually fade to leave a mild yeasty aftertaste.
Overall: Generally very drinkable and, unlike some wheat beers, the spicy undercurrent isn’t too overpowering. Light and refreshing, this is definitely a beer that we could sink a few of while soaking up the sunshine with a barbie. Nick Measures
Lowdown: B220, 12 Fl Oz. 5.6%.
Get it at: Roadhouse Barbecue (Rama 4 Rd., 02-236-8010).
Bangkok is the first to savor Deschutes outside the US; why here?
I have been friends with Bill Marinelli and Warunee Ponkpong at The Oyster Bar for a long time and, as we begin to explore exporting the Pacific Rim, this opportunity made sense. That combined with the Beervana guys assuring us that the beer will be well cared for, and their enthusiasm for the product, made this seem like a pretty good place to start.
Which beer from your range would you recommend to Bangkokians?
For Bangkokians, I’d recommend they start with the beer most outside their comfort zone, maybe the Black Butte Porter. As a dark beer, it is very refreshing. The others are lighter in color but are each different. We did a tasting at The Oyster Bar and asked their attendees which beer they liked best and the first four responded with each of the four different beers. So, try them all. Don’t let preconceptions drive your decision.
What beer would you have for your last meal?
If I could have only one beer for my last meal, it might be a Black Butte Porter, but you never know what mood I might be in that day. The beauty of the craft beer revolution is the variety, so I think that decision would be very difficult for me. Carl Dixon
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Pain is my friend. I’ve learned that, as humans, we need to feel pain to grow up. When I was young and had pneumonia, I’d run to the hospital bed when it was time for my injection, knowing that the pain would help me get better.
Endurance is in my nature. I used to be a gang leader and got expelled from high school twice. It wasn’t that I was good at fighting, but I could hang in there longer than my rivals. I would just wait until they passed out.
Change your life by changing your goals. I’m still the same person I was in high school, but I’ve shifted my focus to studying. My grades in high school were like binary code, one or zero out of four, but I became the number one student when I started studying economics at university.
I didn’t get why our schools were so strict when I was a kid. Why did we have to wear the same uniforms and why couldn’t we have long hair? Now I kind of understand that it was a way of teaching us you can’t always have things the way you want.
Education is not an assembly line. It’s dangerous that our education system can kill creativity. As a lecturer, I used to meet kids who were geniuses but had it trained out of them by the time they went to university. That’s such a pity. Education should let students bloom in their own way.
Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. My career in entertainment was going really well, but I decided to quit after receiving a royal scholarship from the Ananda Mahidol Foundation. I knew that I would get a second chance in the industry but I wouldn’t get one from the foundation.
Actors are intimidated by the media these days. I noticed this when I returned to the industry last year. The press always distort the truth and people just accept it. It’s just like the boy who cried wolf.
Be honest with yourself. Whenever I get caught up in controversy, like when I was rumored to be sneaking out on my university instructing to do other jobs or when I broke up with Ploy Chermarn, I ask myself “Are you doing the right thing?” If the answer is yes, I know I have nothing to worry about.
People put a low value on entertainment in education circles. I found this out when people gossiped about why I had returned to entertainment despite already having a Ph.D. and being a lecturer. But I see every type of work as having its own value. Even if I didn’t get paid in this industry, I’d still love it. But having to dance like I did when I was 17 years old would be pretty embarrassing!
Having your relationship play out in front of a crowd makes you forget what made it what it was. When I decided to break up with Ploy, I had to consider a lot of consequences. But in the end, I don’t regret it because it was for the best.
Don’t cling to your goals too tightly. I suffered depression while trying to finish my Ph.D. in the US. I was stuck rewriting it over and over again. I had been successful my whole life and thought I was invincible. But when it struck me, I locked myself in my house for three months and didn’t talk to anyone, not even my family.
Family is the best. Even when you think you’re at your worst, you’re still good in their eyes. I was in meltdown when my dad and brother flew over to the US and knocked on my door. They took me home to heal my spirits. I finally got stronger and went back to complete my economics Ph.D. a year later.
Setting targets is just like making up stories. I used to think my biggest goal in life was achieving my Ph.D., but the second I got it, I was like “Yes! What’s next?”
Living in the present is essential. If you do everything to the best of your ability, take every step brilliantly, the result will always be good.
I love to challenge myself. I love to do new things and see how far I can go. It’s fun to push myself beyond the limit. Next I plan to enter a big triathlon competition later this year.
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How did you become a plant vendor?
It was my older brother’s idea. He used to sell flowers, but he switched to selling plants as business was better. He then asked me to join him. Before that, I worked as a maid for ten years. I quit after I got married. I went back to my hometown in Srisaket to raise my children for six years before returning to Bangkok to work with him.
Do you grow these plants?
No. My brother buys them from farms and shops in Bang Yai and Bang Bua Thong in Nonthaburi. My products range from B20-B30 for vegetables to B200-B300 for flowering or beautiful plants. I generally earn about B400-B800 a day. I set off from where I rent a house in Klong Toey at 7:30am and finish up about 3pm. I go out every day except when I return home to see my two kids in Srisaket. I feel too guilty to let the plants just sit on the cart without finding a home for them.
Who are your customers?
Pretty much anyone on the street. I generally stroll around Silom, Phrakanong, Kluaynamthai or Chidlom. I find that it’s much better to sell my plants in these busy areas than in the villages where there are lots of houses. House owners always complain that my plants are too expensive, without seeing the convenience that I offer. They prefer to go to cheaper plant shops.
What are you most popular plants?
My ixora (jungle geranium) are always the first to go. Smaller plants tend to be most popular among those who live in condos. I rotate my plants by season. There are also some plants with auspicious names that people believe will bring them good luck, too. I even have some at home—“Thung Ngern Thung Thong” (money and golden bag) and “Pa Ram Ruay” (bring wealth). They don’t need much sunlight.
Do you have any weird customers?
Not really, but I do have some funny ones who tease me by asking me things like, “Do you have any weed?” Some also ask for ton ngew (a spiky tree that sinners in hell are forced to climb, according to Buddhist belief). I just laugh at them.
It must be really hard pushing your big cart on the streets.
I don’t really have any problems with the condition of the roads. I can push it anywhere, no problem. But I do encounter problems with the tessakij (Bangkok Metropolitan officers) sometimes. They occasionally expel me from the street even though I am a mobile vendor, not a stationary one. One time a tessakij came and told me that I should move my cart from the street and then grabbed one of my plants and walked away. I was stunned.
What’s your dream?
I don’t want to do anything else. I love this job. I also don’t have much money to start something else. But if I do earn more money, I would like to open a plant shop. I love plants!
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When did you start?
We first thought of starting in mid 2010. It took us a while to figure out the format and the location. We had to get in the equipment and permits. So, by mid 2011 we were ready.
What inspired you to start the business?
In my career before, I had been working in the US, and that made me to realize how much more beer could be. Up to that point I’d only been drinking lager in India. I was awed by the variety and quality of beers elsewhere and when I came back to India, I could almost not drink beer anymore, though it was the same beer I was drinking until I left. I thought there must be more people who’d be into good beer, and that was what got me interested in the beer business. I then went and studied for a year in Edinburgh and got back to India to start a brewing company. My friend—who was living in Singapore at the time—who is now my business partner suggested we look at Singapore because the government here is very keen on promoting new businesses, and they make it easy for new businesses to start. So along with my partner, I met the various government departments and they were all very helpful and enthusiastic for us to start here.
How did you first approach the retail stores and bars to carry your beer?
Initially, it was a lot of cold calling because when we started the company we were a pure draft business. We didn’t do any bottles and we were trying hard to get draft beer accounts in local bars. We began to realize how all prevalent and exclusive these draft contacts were. Although we feel it is quite unfair to any new company, it continues to be the market practice in Singapore that big companies have exclusive tie ups with bars. And so it took us about half a year to rework our business plan. We began bottling in late 2012, early 2011.
What were the biggest challenges you faced?
Going to bar owners without a prior introduction has always been quite a challenge because they don’t know anything about our business or the beers we make. And when we started, craft beers were even newer then than they are now. So, many bar owners themselves were not very familiar with the products. They knew that people were talking about it, but they had no real way to evaluate it and across Asia. They viewed something local as being inferior quality and therefore that it should be priced less. That’s something we still find difficult, trying to get the same premium for our product as other people who deliver similar quality products that are imported.
Have attitudes changed over time?
Of late, I think a few key things have changed. People are starting to drink jungle beer and talk about it. And then we had quite a successful run at the Beerfest Asia last year, won quite a few awards and stuff, so I think that it convinced people—who don’t trust themselves to judge the beer—that beer was pretty ok, and that their customers might like it. A lot of bar owners began to take us more seriously when we said ok we’ve won all these awards. That’s when they began changing their view that something that’s local can also be good.
What’s you’re favorite of the beers you make?
I most often drink the English Pale Ale, which is a very easy drinking session beer. It’s got the right amount of power to balance the malty-ness. But my personal favorite is the Imperial Stout, the Kiasu Stout. That has for a long time been my favorite style of beer. To my knowledge no one else makes an Imperial Stout in Singapore yet. I don’t drink a lot of it though because it’s a very intense beer usually the last beer of the evening.
Are there any other locally-made products you like?
For coffee, I like Papa Palheta. There’s also Popaganda, they make popsicles and are quite creative. I can’t think of many other F&B products. Many people are more likely to start their own restaurant than to start a brand and make a product out of it, and distribute it.
Why do you think that is?
One reason most definitely is that there’s considerably more capital required, and also the challenge of sales. If you have your own restaurant, at the very least you yourself can get some customers though the door. But if you have your own product, the best you can hope for is that if you put it across many different stores, it just sells. You don’t know whether the store manager is going to promote your product or not, so there’s that additional challenge. And definitely, there’s the cost of setup. If you are going to start something, obviously you’re not going to do it small because you need the AVA permission and so on and so forth. And by the time you get a space that’s large enough to make it viable, it becomes quite expensive.
Where are most of the ingredients you use to make your beers from?
Most are from the UK and Germany. Our hops come from Eastern Europe, the UK and about 50% are from the US as well, especially the northwest of America.
Do you think people should support local?
I don’t think people should support local out of pity, but I think that people should not discriminate against local. At the very least, anyone in Singapore should be willing to try something that is local. If it’s bad or if it’s not as good as something that’s imported, they’re obviously not going to buy it again unless they are like uber nationalistic. So I think that yeah, the sole discrimination against local is quite odd and that’s something people need to overcome.
Are you planning other new products?
We have a few ideas we’re working on. One is the new range of beers called Hula. We’ve made a few trial batches and will add more beers to that range. We’re also looking at potentially making a lager beer, that’s something we have not made to date and we don’t want it to be anything like the ones that are already available by the big brewing companies. We should expect both of those before the New Year.
Adi Challa is the owner-brewer at Jungle Beer Brewery.
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